What an unusual tarot deck this one is!  For many years now the Ceremonial Magicians have used multiple systems such as astrology, Qabbalah, and so on, in their rituals and divination.  Most of these consider tarot decks invaluable in their work, but tarot often contains meanings hidden too deeply for all but the really serious student to discern.

This deck appears to be trying to make Ceremonial Magick available to the general public.  It claims to be a "pictorial synthesis of the three great pillars of magick."  These cards contain a picture of somewhat traditional tarot design, augmented with little windows all over the card with various and sundry systems of divination and information thrown in.  Here we have everything from I Ching hexagrams, geomantic designs, astrological symbols and correspondences, numerology, Qabbalah, Tattwas, Enochian subangles..... in other words, they're busy!

I found the main body of the pictures to be mildly interesting, they aren't terribly well drawn and some of the pictures seem to have little to nothing to do with the card's meaning.  All of the different symbols and correspondences encourage the beginner magician to rely on the cheats instead of actually learning how to tell what is needed.  This is the Starter Tarot, for Ceremonialists.

The cards themselves are of average size and flexibility, shuffling comfortably.  The suits remain the standard Wands, Cups, Swords and Disks.  In each suit, the Court Cards are the identical picture with different colors, the Princes are all the same, the Queens, etc.  The back design on the deck is very nicely done.

All in all, I was not hugely impressed.

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Review Copyright 1998 by Gina M. Pace